Ask HN: How to make money while commuting to work?
68 comments
A penny saved is a penny earned.
Cycling will save you more money because you don't need a gym subscription and you don't have to pay car registration, parking, fuel, repairs, license fees, accidents or mass transit tickets.
On top of that you can zone out which is healthy and gets you in the mode for thinking (assuming you are programming at work), you don't need to sell your bike when you move cities/continents (staying geographically flexible = massive opportunity for profit), and you don't need an apartment or job with a parking space.
Cycling will save you more money because you don't need a gym subscription and you don't have to pay car registration, parking, fuel, repairs, license fees, accidents or mass transit tickets.
On top of that you can zone out which is healthy and gets you in the mode for thinking (assuming you are programming at work), you don't need to sell your bike when you move cities/continents (staying geographically flexible = massive opportunity for profit), and you don't need an apartment or job with a parking space.
> you can zone out
Another commenter worried that your advice might not be universally applicable because of weather, but I'm worried because of traffic. Whether you can zone out on a bike commute probably depends on what country you're in, and hence whether your bike commute involves a protected cycle path vs. dodging heavy car traffic. I've seen cyclists commuting in Utrecht and in São Paulo, and the former could probably zone out, while the latter would be taking a major risk if they did.
Another commenter worried that your advice might not be universally applicable because of weather, but I'm worried because of traffic. Whether you can zone out on a bike commute probably depends on what country you're in, and hence whether your bike commute involves a protected cycle path vs. dodging heavy car traffic. I've seen cyclists commuting in Utrecht and in São Paulo, and the former could probably zone out, while the latter would be taking a major risk if they did.
By "zone out", I don't think he means vacantly ogle the scenery. He's just advocating turning off the music/podcasts, disabling phone notifications, and just driving.
I often do this when I find my base stress level rising. You just watch the road in front of you while you turn things over in your head the whole time.
We're well into idle speculation territory here, but I think this sort of mental garbage collection is a necessary and underrated exercise. It's something that people are unknowingly depriving themselves of when they insist on constantly signal jamming their brains with Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Feedly.
I often do this when I find my base stress level rising. You just watch the road in front of you while you turn things over in your head the whole time.
We're well into idle speculation territory here, but I think this sort of mental garbage collection is a necessary and underrated exercise. It's something that people are unknowingly depriving themselves of when they insist on constantly signal jamming their brains with Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Feedly.
>Cycling will save you more money because you [...] don't have to pay [...] accidents...
You certainly still can get hit while riding your bike. The cost to repair your body (hospital bills) is often much high than to repair a car (body shop). Regardless, I still enjoy cycling to work.
You certainly still can get hit while riding your bike. The cost to repair your body (hospital bills) is often much high than to repair a car (body shop). Regardless, I still enjoy cycling to work.
Of course, in either case, the at-fault party pays the bills.
Cyclist usually isn't lucid to give their account. So the cops interview the car driver. Guess whose at fault? I've had this happen to more than one friend, despite other witnesses. One currently fighting a $200k medical bill because insurance thinks the driver will cover it, drivers insurance pointing at the police report saying they aren't at fault, etc.
It might work out in the end, but its a lot of pain and uncertainty.
It might work out in the end, but its a lot of pain and uncertainty.
> Cyclist usually isn't lucid to give their account.
Then you give your account later.
Drivers aren't in a good position to discuss particulars when they're strapped to a gurney in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Then you give your account later.
Drivers aren't in a good position to discuss particulars when they're strapped to a gurney in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
My understanding is that the initial police report can carry a lot of weight in these situations. The fact that you weren't lucid on the scene also suggests that you may not remember the event, whether that's true or not.
Helmet cam(s)!
I think there's a difference between the drive to work and a commute. A commute means that you're in your car maybe 45 minutes to 2+ hours each way every day. So, biking probably isn't a viable option - especially in areas where it's winter-like temperatures 6-8 months out of the year.
It can depend on your location too. If I commute by car, it can take 1 - 2 hours. By metro 1 hr but I've had a few times take up to 2 hours. When I go by bike, it's a consistent 1 hr 15 min.
I wish the California Bay Area was like that! Here it takes me 30 minutes to drive with traffic, 15 without, 40 to ride bike, 1.5 to 2 hours by public transit.
Well. Assuming you'd otherwise have to spend 60 minutes in the gym, you can take 30 minutes longer on your one way trip and still come out even.
Winter temperatures are no biggie. You just do what you'd do anyway: put on more layers of clothes. Now, snow and ice on the other hand...
Winter temperatures are no biggie. You just do what you'd do anyway: put on more layers of clothes. Now, snow and ice on the other hand...
If you do cycle, please please invest in a helmet-camera rig. I've seen so many close calls with cyclists.
You probably won't save much money unless you can completely eliminate all your car expenses. Food calories per mile and fuel cost per mile will likely be similar, with most crude estimates showing food being more expensive. Obviously there are many variables to play with here, but it certainly isn't obvious that switching from driving to cycling will save money.
I can't unfortunately. I have to drive to work there's no other ways for me to get there.
> A penny saved is a penny earned.
Arguably living close enough to bike to work, and not take a freeway, means you spend a lot more on rent / mortgage.
Arguably living close enough to bike to work, and not take a freeway, means you spend a lot more on rent / mortgage.
This is pretty easy - work on your side project while driving: https://www.amazon.com/AutoExec-Wheelmate-Steering-Attachabl...
Edit: be sure to view Q&A and reviews at bottom before use - very helpful.
Edit: be sure to view Q&A and reviews at bottom before use - very helpful.
You could increase your personal value by listening to audiobooks or podcasts to improve your education. There are actually several audio programs from sites like The Great Courses which you can tune to your specific interests.
It's not a direct path to a financial gain, but it does improve your personal value, which should in turn improve your income streams.
It's not a direct path to a financial gain, but it does improve your personal value, which should in turn improve your income streams.
This is what I do. It's not so much "making money" but just making sure I am utilizing my time correctly. If I'm just sitting in the car waiting to get to work... that's a waste. If I'm listening to a book or podcast, that means I have that time back at the end of the day for more sleep, or whatever.
I used to, in my late 20s, car pool with people to work. We'd flip on a podcast -- every day it was someone's job to pick one out. Then talk about it a bit... made the time go by quickly and we all ended up learning something. Harder to do as careers became more serious... stopped being viable to schedule my arrival and departure times around others.
If you have friends in the same time-zone you can schedule a commute call to catch up and bitch about things. Some of my buddies and I used to have a conference line open at a set hour, anyone who wanted to dial in on their drive in could. Was nice, until everyone started having kids and it was viable to talk openly in the car.
Lastly... just sort of thinking about your goals and things you want to accomplish that day... I tend to do this quite a bit. Got in the habit of using my first 30 minutes at work for day planning / preparation... but always helps to have it all queued up in my head before I write it down in my journal.
I used to, in my late 20s, car pool with people to work. We'd flip on a podcast -- every day it was someone's job to pick one out. Then talk about it a bit... made the time go by quickly and we all ended up learning something. Harder to do as careers became more serious... stopped being viable to schedule my arrival and departure times around others.
If you have friends in the same time-zone you can schedule a commute call to catch up and bitch about things. Some of my buddies and I used to have a conference line open at a set hour, anyone who wanted to dial in on their drive in could. Was nice, until everyone started having kids and it was viable to talk openly in the car.
Lastly... just sort of thinking about your goals and things you want to accomplish that day... I tend to do this quite a bit. Got in the habit of using my first 30 minutes at work for day planning / preparation... but always helps to have it all queued up in my head before I write it down in my journal.
I negotiated with my company to count my commuting time as work time, since my bus is not crowded and I can always get on my laptop and work with a hotspot. So in a sense you could say I make money while commuting because it counts towards my working hours. I also get part of my afternoon back :)
Off topic, but how did you do that? Did you ask after having proven you got work done? Or did you bring it up at the initial interview?
I'm not commuting anymore, but when I used to, I would try to get some work done on the train, and if I did, go home earlier without feeling bad about it. We didn't track time at that job.
At my current company I can clock in via VPN and book time on whatever I'd work on, wherever I am. As long as I tell my superior that I won't be at the office, and as long as I don't have any meetings during that time, he's fine with it. I've committed to deadlines already, and if I don't meet them, he's in trouble, but so am I, so he trusts me.
At my current company I can clock in via VPN and book time on whatever I'd work on, wherever I am. As long as I tell my superior that I won't be at the office, and as long as I don't have any meetings during that time, he's fine with it. I've committed to deadlines already, and if I don't meet them, he's in trouble, but so am I, so he trusts me.
Waze Carpool. I'm not sure if it's available worldwide, but in Israel it's working pretty cool and allows you to collect up to 4 passengers on your way to work and back. It also matches you only passengers +- on your route so you don't become a taxi driver (they adapt to the local regulations around this since Carpool is allowed in Israel, but Uber isn't..)
You've not said what you do, how long your commute is, what mode of transport you can take or anything, so its difficult to offer specific suggestions.
I'm assuming you're driving, but if you had the option of train you could have that time to sit and work on freelance work on the laptop.
If you had to drive, one option is to indirectly make money by perhaps working on your skills. If you're a coder, download some podcasts or audiobooks about new languages or techniques. Perhaps even study a different subject like soft skills or sales or something that could broaden your value in the marketplace?
I'm assuming you're driving, but if you had the option of train you could have that time to sit and work on freelance work on the laptop.
If you had to drive, one option is to indirectly make money by perhaps working on your skills. If you're a coder, download some podcasts or audiobooks about new languages or techniques. Perhaps even study a different subject like soft skills or sales or something that could broaden your value in the marketplace?
Ask random people for money saying you don't have enough bus or train fare. Loads of people in the UK are doing this now.
So pan handling more or less? Have any sources for this... seems strange that loads of people in the UK have all of the sudden become pan handlers.
Loads of people everywhere are pan handlers.
Well I was exaggerating a bit but if you travel regularly in the South of England you'll notice it a lot.
I haven't noticed commuters doing this in London except the obviously homeless/troubled people.
Record yourself talking to yourself in the car and make a podcast.
Assuming that he/she is driving, that could be a dangerous distraction (even hands-free cell phone usage has been shown to be dangerous).
Besides, if it was me trying to do a podcast: "And that's why you should watch out for that code smell... Oh, that f*cking idiot, use your turn signal jacka$$!!!"
Besides, if it was me trying to do a podcast: "And that's why you should watch out for that code smell... Oh, that f*cking idiot, use your turn signal jacka$$!!!"
You're saying that like it won't make the podcast more interesting
Read books, invest in yourself. It will pay off long term.
Definitely read. Use the commute to unplug from distractions.
I've heard that the difference between an entrepreneur and a consultant/freelancer/contractor is that an entrepreneur makes money while they sleep and a consultant/freelancer/contractor only makes money while they are working.
The premise of this question seems to be related to that. Not that I'm pitching entrepreneurship so much as reframing the question. Maybe there is a middle ground where the commute time is used for business...phone calls and so forth. And maybe those phone calls are invested in looking for a better paying job or freelance work or something that increases income.
The premise of this question seems to be related to that. Not that I'm pitching entrepreneurship so much as reframing the question. Maybe there is a middle ground where the commute time is used for business...phone calls and so forth. And maybe those phone calls are invested in looking for a better paying job or freelance work or something that increases income.
Taking calls while driving is pretty effective. If you have a side project you could do sales calls while driving.
Sure. The highest ROI you can possibly have is by spending the time thinking. Make sure that you set aside money every month for a seed fund so that once you get an idea, which you eventually will, you can hit the ground running on it.
Once you have the idea for your business, which may take years, the ROI will have been much higher than anything else you could have possibly spent the same time doing. Think.
(If this gets downvoted too heavily, I'll delete it. But it's a genuine comment.)
Once you have the idea for your business, which may take years, the ROI will have been much higher than anything else you could have possibly spent the same time doing. Think.
(If this gets downvoted too heavily, I'll delete it. But it's a genuine comment.)
That's what I usually do. Though, I was looking for a quick and easy / short term solution to generate some extra $$ while wasting 2 hours driving on the road everyday.
how about foreign language lessons, if your mobile phone data plan (for skype) or call plan is good enough to make it worth it, and you have excellent coverage along your whole route. That likely pays more than most other things you could be doing, however it will require a lot of attention. Is your driving pretty monotonous?
Offer to polish peoples' shoes.
Learn to knit and make stuff you can sell online.
Or take the long game and work on classes and skills that will get you a higher paying job.
Or take the long game and work on classes and skills that will get you a higher paying job.
I've heard of people audio recording blog posts for transcription later on.
There's also a company whose name is failing me (Muse?) that often advertises making money on your commute by doing consultancy phone calls in your profession. Never tried it but you could also attempt to do your own consulting on the phone.
One of the trends with vlogging is to record yourself in the car talking about whatever subject you feel like your audience may want to hear about.
If you recorded your thoughts about politics, social issues, current events, etc. on the way to work and published those videos on YouTube, over time (give yourself likely 3-6 months to start making any significant income) you'll develop a subscriber base, your view counts for each video will continue to climb, and you'll be in a position to monetize your YouTube traffic.
You obviously should be very careful about doing any kind of video recording or anything else that might distract you from driving. This may be a better idea if you're taking public transit.
If you recorded your thoughts about politics, social issues, current events, etc. on the way to work and published those videos on YouTube, over time (give yourself likely 3-6 months to start making any significant income) you'll develop a subscriber base, your view counts for each video will continue to climb, and you'll be in a position to monetize your YouTube traffic.
You obviously should be very careful about doing any kind of video recording or anything else that might distract you from driving. This may be a better idea if you're taking public transit.
I would listen to an audiobook - Your Money or Your Life
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Money-Life-Transforming-Relation...
And follow it up by reading something like: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Path-Wealth-financial-independ...
And follow it up by reading something like: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Path-Wealth-financial-independ...
You're looking for ways to make money while you waste it. Obviously the most lucrative opportunity was further upstream -- one that you missed when you got into an hour-long-automobile-commute, miserably-unsustainable type situation.
Move closer to work, and ideally walk there. Or bike or take transit. (If transit, you can work while you ride.) If housing costs too much to do that, move to a metro area where it's possible. Now you're what maybe $500/month richer? Now sell the car - voila, making money!
Move closer to work, and ideally walk there. Or bike or take transit. (If transit, you can work while you ride.) If housing costs too much to do that, move to a metro area where it's possible. Now you're what maybe $500/month richer? Now sell the car - voila, making money!
I see you've already mentioned ridesharing, but my coworker Uber's on his way to and from work and makes about $40 a day. He says it adds about 30 minutes to a 30 minute commute.
My strategy is to take public transit and work for my employer on a laptop with a mobile connection. If your time is valuable enough (>$50/hr?), it may even be profitable to pay for a Lyft and work during the ride.
If you have to drive, another strategy is to think about work and plan out your day while you drive, so you're more productive once you arrive at the office.
You can also make hands-free phone calls from the car.
If you have to drive, another strategy is to think about work and plan out your day while you drive, so you're more productive once you arrive at the office.
You can also make hands-free phone calls from the car.
Forgive the slightly lazy response and lack of sources but - I remember there was a crowd source delivery service in the UK. Whereby you could bid for the opportunity to deliver something from one place to another.
I spent a few years freelancing on a bus with a hot spot to and from my day job.
Use public transportation and code in the meantime.
I can't imagine this being viable on most public transportation systems.
Light rail is the best for this. I have about an hour and 15 minute train ride (on top of commute to the train) each way and it is perfect time for me to work on side projects. That wouldn't work on a bus, especially if you have to make many stops/transfers.
Get into finantial trading. You'd just need to check it once or twice if at all, during those two hours.
The rest of the suggestions are fine, but I think you asked for ideas on how to make money, not how to save money. And I don't know of any other way that wouldn't require your full attention.
The rest of the suggestions are fine, but I think you asked for ideas on how to make money, not how to save money. And I don't know of any other way that wouldn't require your full attention.
"how to lose money while commuting to work"
If you don't know what you're doing, yes
Why do you have a 2 hour car commute each day? Live closer to work, or work closer to home.
This is just a dumb thing to do and the answer to to stop doing it, not optimize it.
This is just a dumb thing to do and the answer to to stop doing it, not optimize it.
Paper route
sell drugs while commuting.
work from home, save 2+ hours per day, build a side project.
Start a consulting service, charge people by the hour
Edit: a commute of about 2 hours (roundtrip) per day, driving my car.